I have Java Fern in mine as well as Vallisineria which was gifted to me. I plan to add Anubia in due course. I have Yellow labs and others (see the list below), the only ones I see occasionally grazing are my Red Zebra and the Vals are growing a lot faster than they are getting chewed. The Java Fern are slow growing but keep putting out 'buds' on the ends of their leaves. I am not paying much attention to the N/P/K balance but I do put a dose of Flourish in once a week. My gauge is whether they keep sprouting and look more green than they do yellow or brown, so far so good.

Generally I don't have issues with uprooting, I have one of those long arm planter tools which i just get hold of any loose ones and push into the substrate which in my tank is crushed coral sand.

I did have some Java Moss for a while but it never really latched onto anything and most of it ended up wrapped around the intake to my FX5 so it got dumped.

I really like the effect of the natural plants, to each their own of course; good luck if you decide to try some

tgiles12 wrote:jayliffe, do you think you could post a pic of your tank, your fish as well as your plants sound awesome would be interesting to see!

Here are some pictures as requested taken this evening. The Java Fern are still relatively small, slow growing as they are. I have them tied to the rocks still using fishing line, eventually the roots are supposed to attach to the rock. The Vallisineria I planted in the centerground, initially in three clumps which as they have either lifted or grown out I have spread further forward. They die back, they grow, I like the natural look. Now all I have to do is decide what I am going to do about the blue background... still not happy with that!